What's in a Pairing Name
by MakeMyStand41319
Summary: If Esposito and Lanie have one, Castle wonders, why can't he and Beckett? One shot based on "One Life to Lose." Caskett!


Hello everyone! This is just a simple one-shot based on "One Life to Lose". I hope you enjoy it! - yoto

* * *

><p>"So, what's our pairing name?"<p>

Katherine Beckett had just settled down to finally finishing up the paperwork of the "Temptation Lane" murder. At least, that's what people were calling it these days; she didn't overly care at this point what people called it, as long as she got home to a nice bath and a book.

Unfortunitley, Castle had other plans.

Beckett sighed. "What are you babbling about now, Castle?"

"Our pairing name." Castle said simply. "Esposito and Lanie have 'Esplanie', we should have our own!" he put a hand on the detective's papers, making her glare up at him. "Oh, come on; humor me this once. We already have a tagline, we might as well have a pairing name!" Beckett shook her head. "Oh, come on! All the cool kids have one!"

"All the 'cool kids' are actually together, Castle." Beckett points out, forcing his hand off her work. "And since we aren't, a pairing name is both unnessicary and invalid." She went back to writing, hoping that her comment ended the conversation...

"Katick!"

... apparently not, given Castle's sudden outburst. Beckett said nothing.

"Oh, come on, Kate and Rick! It has a certain ring to it, no?" His muse continued to ignore him. Castle smiled. "Or would you like my name to go first? So it would be 'Rate'..."

That did it for Beckett; throwing down her pen, she pinched the bridge of her nose before looking at the writer. "You're still talking, aren't you?" He just smiled, and she just sighed. "Alright, look, if we HAVE to have a pairing name, it should be Caskett."

"Caskett?"

"Two t's at the end."

"You want our pairing name to be something that resembles a body's final resting place?" He smirked. "That's morbid, even for a homicide detective."

"It sounds better than anything you thought up." She said, her own smirk challenging his own. "Besides, it's much more fun that 'Rate'."

"Not true!" he yelled, catching the eye of both Lanie and Esposito on their way through the bullpen and to the elevator. They looked at each other, and then walked to Beckett's desk.

"He causing you trouble, Beckett?" Esposito asked.

"No more than usual." Beckett mused.

Castle scoffed before asking his question. "Which is a better name for Beckett and I - Rate, Katick, or Caskett?"

They didn't need to think twice.

"Rate." said Esposito.

"Caskett." said Lanie.

The two of them look at each other in amusement.

"Really? 'Rate'?" Lanie asked her boyfriend.

"Well, yeah!" He replied. "It has a ring to it."

"But Caskett's better!" Lanie argued.

Castle and Beckett looked at each other in annoyance. The Esplanie angle didn't work. Time for a new plan.

"Ryan!" They yelled.

Kevin Ryan hustled out of the breakroom, alarmed by the sudden call from both the write and his muse.

"Can this be quick? I have a date with Jenny tonight." Ryan said, smiling.

"Just answer this question correctly and I'll let you go home early." Beckett bargained.

"Deal!" Ryan practically yelled, rubbing his hands together. "Alright, hit me."

"Kevin Ryan," Castle stated dramatically. "what pairing name would Beckett and I -"

"Caskett." Ryan cut him off. "Definitley Caskett." He looked at his boss. "Do I get to go home early?" Beckett smirked and nodded. He fed the birds with Esposito.

"But WHY?" Castle whined. "This job is already full of death; does our pairing name _really_ have to be morbid, too?"

"Well, think about it." Lanie proposed. "Do you want people to start calling you by your first names? Because 'Rate' suggests that you want to be called Kate and Rick instead of Beckett and Castle, respectivley.:"

Castle didn't have to look towards Beckett for him to feel her disapproving glare at the mention of the possibility that suspects would call her by her first name. He gulped.

"Caskett it is!" He proclaimed. "Thanks Ryan, Esplanie." He quickly walked away before anyone could comment.

So, they looked towards Beckett, who was back at her paperwork.

"Don't look at me." She said. "He's the shipper."

* * *

><p>I hope you enjoyed this one-shot, don't forget to review! Also, if you're looking for something a bit more dramatic, please check out "The Disappearance of Katherine Beckett"! Thanks again! - yoto<p> 


End file.
